Bethel United Church of Christ Installs New Senior Minister

Members, friends and guests of Bethel United Church of Christ gathered for worship on Sunday morning, June 1, to install Rev. Gretchen Sylvester as the seventh Senior Minister in Bethel's 60-year history as a community of faith in Elmhurst.  Rev. Sylvester, who began her ministry with Bethel on August 1, 2013, was installed as Bethel's pastor by Rev. Vertie Powers, Associate Conference Minister of the Chicago Metropolitan Association of the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ. The sermon for the festive worship service was given by Rev. Dr. W. T. "Mike" Heath, recently retired Senior Minister of St. John's UCC in Monroe, WI.  Special music for the service was provided by the Bethel voice and handbell choirs and the Bethel band.  Members of the congregation gave charges to both Rev. Sylvester and to the congregation and presented symbolic and personal gifts to her as part of the installation service.  Communion was served to end the moving and celebratory morning of worship.  Following the service, members, friends and a large contingent of guests from St. John's UCC joined Rev. Sylvester and her family for a luncheon in Bethel's Schiffman Hall.
Rev. Sylvester came to Bethel from St. John's UCC in Monroe, WI, where she was Associate Pastor for nine years. In addition to her duties in this position, Rev. Sylvester was instrumental in founding Family Promise, a Monroe-based alliance of 14 churches collaborating to provide services to the homeless.  She served on its Board and on a local FEMA task force which focused on providing emergency housing services.  A native of St. Louis, Rev. Sylvester graduated from the University of Illinois in Champaign where she majored in biology and journalism.  She received a Master of Divinity degree from United Seminary of the Twin Cities, where she earned recognition for excellence in constructive theology, biblical interpretation, and New Testament studies.  She was ordained by the United Church of Christ in 2002.  Rev. Sylvester and her husband, Bruce, who is City Planner for the Village of Niles, have three children in middle school and reside in Elmhurst.
Bethel United Church of Christ is located at 315 E. St. Charles Rd. in Elmhurst.  Please call 630-279-4040 for more information.